ARENA Backs Solar Plus Storage

Author:Source:Datetime: 2016-10-18 16:29:41

The
Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), an independent agency of the
Australian federal government, established in 2012 to manage the government's renewable
energy programs, with the objective of increasing supply and competitiveness of
Australian renewable energy sources, would help finance a 12-month
demonstration project in Queensland state, which involves centrally controlled
solar-plus-storage home systems.

As
part of utility Ergon Energy’s pilot project, US solar firm SunPower
(NASDAQ:SPWR) will install 4.9-kW photovoltaic (PV) arrays for 33 households in
Cannonvale, Toowoomba and Townsville. The installations will use SunPower
panels and 12kWh/5kW Sunverge solar power generator and control systems. The goal of the project is
to trial a “virtual power plant” model using the centrally monitored and
controlled solar/storage systems. It will show if the installations can be
effectively co-ordinated to add value to the network, explained ARENA CEO Ivor
Frischknecht.

ARENA
has contributed USD 293,000 towards the UDS 1.9 million projects. The 33 home
PV systems are to be installed and operational by the end of 2015.

Mr.
Frischknecht says the market for residential battery storage like using lifepo4 battery is rapidly
evolving. Understanding the opportunities and barriers associated with this
technology will be important in enabling smoother and more effective change.